Sunday, September 20, 2009

Wow.I can't believe I...somebody shoot me.You may have heard, but I typed everything up only to do something douchey like PRESS THE WRONG BUTTON and save it when EVERYTHING DISSAPEARED. So that ALL my hours of efforts were tossed into the junk yard abyss of the internets!

Well, it's a new day now, and I'm feeling less furious about that whole incident, so let's try this again...[However, it will all be a lot less impressive than it was the first draft around...]

This is it, guys. This is the moment you've all been waiting for.

What a crazy four months it has been! I want to first apologize for another incredible delay, but I assure you most of it was due to long, careful decision making in naming our champion. This was really the toughest it's ever been, and I mean that. I'm proud of all 4 of you, one for dealing with this all summer and sticking it through to the end, here now almost October, and two because, well, all of you rock. Either you consistantly rocked it, or grew tremendously over the course of challenge, but for both I am impressed. Even more so, I'm once again impressed and thankful that you four lovely ladies stuck through this compition for the entire summer and then some, put up with my procrastination, haha. The judges too!

But a winner still must be chosen tonight. We looked not only at the final collections, but at all past entries, debate through who has been consistantly good, or who has grown, or such. And, still, it was difficult to choose who placed what.

Lets begin as we always do, with a nice healthy dose of critiques. Shall we?

CRITIQUE

BBGal- It's been unanimously decided: you have improved so much since the beginning of this compition, not only among the final 4, but quite possibly in all three rounds this has gone on. You listened to what we had to say [even if sometimes I worry that we are actually quite full of ourselves, and I can't believe I make you guys read this stuff. =D] and experiemented with layout and color combination, but still remained true to something that feels very /you/ all at once. This was especially evident in your final collection's first set, which was as perfect as I think things can get-everything, color, layout, whatever, was balanced and eye catching, soft and edgy at once. So it was a little dissapointed when the next two sets didn't quite measure up to this. Overall, they were far from being /bad/, but, you know, after being blown away, they were kind of getting overshadowed. The main reason for this may also be that the three sets weren't exactly unified in color...they had a certain scheme, yes, but somehow they still didn't feel like they meshed, at least not in pallate. HOWEVER, elements of style that was consist in all three made up for that. So this is going to sound incredibly contradictory, but, while we do like your theme quite a lot [very original, very personal to you.], we found that because it was such a comfortable theme, we didn't think you really pushed outside that zone, and so the outfits then seemed a little lacking...a little commercial. But, then again, I can also argue that the final challenge is more about show casing what you want to put together. So it could go either way. Still, seriously man, this final collection was such a far leap from that set in first challenge, and I mean that as a compliment. [ Remember this? ]

Tripmywire – Had your take on your theme not been so interesting [oh, am I sucker for character sets. Oh yes.], we would've been less impressed with the vampire route. Which really is not your fault, but the army of girls 10 to waytoooldtoreadthatcrap who have come to make the mythical beast so damn trendy. Still, vampires are everywhere, and you could've gone someplace completely different. But your since of style and way of presenting the theme is just too goshdarn /cool/, we went along with it. Or, as a judge said, in regards to your colothing choices “Okay they’re a bit plain, but they breathe sophistication, elegance and style.” which really does sum it up for me. The 'plainness' may have mostly been due to effect of the first set; with the starch white dress, then the darker, harsh colors around it, the center of the set appeared very washed out...something about the dress itself also didn't really feel in the same high fashion noir mood that the others exuded. But the other two, though also a little 'ghostly' as a judge put it, are really freacking cool. The second has some undead Clockwork Orange feel going on, or so I get the impression of, and the third was so BAMF that 1.) used the term 'Bamf' to describe it, and 2.) could over look the leggings. Or not over look them, that's not what's going on, but wait, I actually think they work here! So, not all the judges agreed on that minor detail, but whatever. We were all a little confused about the layouts, though, expecting to see your lovely trademark mosaics. I suppose that was the point, though, yeah? To not do as expected. Personally, I think these layouts are nicely proportioned, but there was something about your particular mosaic that was eyecatching in itself...I know we ragged you on it at times [We are schitzo around here, aren't we?] , but when you did it well, it was brilliantly.

Lola- The problem with you is that you've, most of the time, have done fabulously through each round. I mean, yes, there were your low moments, but for the most part my dear Lola, you rocked. And it was your disregard for magazine dictated laws of fashion that set you apart and thrilled us, with bright neons and crazy yet cohesive prints and shoes and whatnot, that when we saw this, it wasn't so up to par with the funfest you usually deliver. Your theme was cute [again, sucker for characters. I don't even watch GG.], and we liked that it sort of told the story of this girl. But the three sets were the least consistant out of all the collections, and this lack of connection between each set, besides what is explained in the desciption, was what brought you down. As a judge said, “Great fashion choices, very GG esque. It was a cute them but a little inconsistent. I didn't get the vibe that one chick would be wearing all three of these outfits.” The judges were also inconsistent in pegging which one was the best out of the three. Personally, I feel the first is the nicest layout, though the least interesting fashion choices. The second, on the otherhand, is the opposite-cool clothes, a little plain, but cool, but it also seemed very quickly lumped together. I've decided I like the third best, because it was more like the Lola we normally see-quirky, edgy accessories, sweet dress and heels, more balanced than the second but still a little lumpy. Or, said better by a fellow judge, “I like the first one. You can definitely see the outfit. With the other two I feel that everything is being pulled down, the dresses are at the bottom, the accessories are at the bottom. It’s getting really heavy at the bottom. I don’t like that at all. The first set shows more of a balance because the outfit flows above the accessories. Also the images are better placed in comparison to the final two sets. It seems she was in a rush with the last two.” Overall, it received a general 'nice' from us, but we were underwhelmed.

Incubeautee -Ah, the circus! Another theme that's been hitting the mainstream, though when put up to vampires, I suppose its practically underground. Still, the judges and I commemorate you on the fact that the inspiration was drawn from a specific painting [by one of my favorite artists, no less...I suppose that would help, yeah?]. So to sum up how we generally felt about your collection as a whole, here's what one lovely judge had to say: “Great execution of the theme. I think the fashion choices really reflect the characters. Like everyone else pointed out...it was also inconsistent. It also was a bit cluttered.” But before we go into detail about all that, I just wanted to point out how excited I was to see all the crazy color and combinations you choose and how STOKED I was to see that, so kuuu-dos on making it fun. Now, regarding inconsistentcies. The first set we found was the most cluttered, and also weren't so thrilled with the fashion choices here-I suppose they worked to the character, but with all the pictures in the background and the strange dark-ish colors, it somehow seemed camoflauged. Of course, we've been on you about cluttered pictures since the beginning, so, like, whatever. The second set was generally the judges' favorite.There were still a bunch of pictures, but with lighter colors and a super fun combination, this one worked-for your theme, and as a set on its own. Plus, how can you go wrong with sequin shorts and big bow headbands? You can't. Its fact. Now, while the third one might also be a little dark again, and not as...circus-y as the first two, it was a very wearable outfit, yet shoe and accesory choice made it interesting again. So even though the layouts were all pretty much identical, the various combos of color and style didn't quite make for an easy flow [Oh, man. That sounds like having a period. I'm so sorry. But you get my point, yeah?] Said a judge “If she would have made the other outfits more like that one [the second], it would have rocked all the way.”

And so, thank you one and all! Once again with all your spectacular support, we got through cycle three. I don't know how it ever works out, but it did, and you guys are the best people on the internet for sticking by. To be honest with you, I doubt I'll be able to do it again, so I'm very happy to say that this cycle was THE BEST EVER, and, as relieving as it is to be done, I'm still a little sad. Did I say thank you? Well, THANK YOU very much, congrats to the winner, and good night everyone!Its been a hoot and a half. =D

Eloise Kale: Vampire Hunter, midnight superhero, very expensive assassin, dresses like a street walker, eats like an anorexic billionaire. Has an alter ego? Still don't know what that is...like a name the press gave her. Fucking fantastic wardrobe.

Lulu Zombie-Tea Party Queen. Squeaky with a short temper. Baby doll face, bruised violet skin and spiderweb scars. A bit green around the shadows. Decay will do that to a person. Avid Courtney Love worshiper.

S[h]iva is the bassist. She isn't into the excess life of a rockstar as much as the others, that much I know. She just does her job.In Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God. This is what wiki says. I don't know much about it, but I find it all kind of fascinating.

Freya is the guitarist.In Norse mythology, Freyja is portrayed as a goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, but was also associated with war, battle, death, magic, prophecy, and wealth. In otherwords, she seems like a rather fierce B*tch.She deeply loves her fame, and the excess that comes with it.

~BBGal~I love going to bluegrass music festivals. So for my finale collection I made up a festival... it's in the middle of summer in the mountains and the weather is beautiful :) I made a set for what I would wear on each day of the festival.

This is the outfit for Saturday, the last day of the festival. This is the day where I run around trying to take everything in before I have to leave. The best bands play today, and I might play a little myself... or run off to take some pictures of the mountains. :)

The finale challenge. A collection of three sets. My inspiration? Well, at first I was thinking about major female fashion icons...But, as I'm sure we all know, that's been done so many damn times, it's almost depressing. Then I was thinking about things that have been occupying my time as of late. Unfortunately those things only include work (yay), reading, and catching up on True Blood. Nothing horribly exciting. But then I came to a thought that combined all of these things. Literature, vampires, and fashion icons. Soooooo, why all the build-up?

My collection is inspired by the three brides of Dracula. Whom, by the way, were not known as such in the novel. They were actually just three female vampires. The two dark haired ones were made out to possibly be Dracula's daughters actually. Their appearances were similar to that of Dracula and pointed out to be such, hence the daughter thought.

Anyway, this is the first dark-haired vampire. Obviously I've modernized them, made them fashionable and whatnot. Anyway, I imagined her name would be Cordelia, and she would be the sweet naive one. (As sweet and naive as a vampire could be.) One of the younger ones, most likely from New Orleans, or that type of place.

This is the second of Dracula's "brides". Her name would be Violet. She is the sexy vixen from the 1920s. She likes to dress with an adrogynous twist on a very sexy look. Her beauty can be quite deceiving, as she is probably the most cruel of the brides.

The third of the brides. The fair haired bride. The oldest of the three, Olivia is from the Victorian age. She leads the other two brides. She is strong and controlled. She is often the one who stands up to Dracula, and she always gets away with it.

A little note: I know I'm probably going to get in trouble for the lack of colour in all of these sets...But I like the look of black and white. There's no colour to distract from the textures and shapes. I also know that somebody, if not everybody isn't going to like that I added the leggings in this set. I know I use them a lot...But I like them a lot. In this set in particular, I like the leather skirt on top of the leather leggings for the unusual texture overlap. Anyway, I hope this is what you lovely ladies wanted.

Final Total 2447.70

~Lola~

Hilary Duff will be joining the cast of Gossip Girl. She will be playing Olivia Burke, a famous actress who leaves Hollywood for the quiet college life. Olivia and Vanessa are roommates. So obviously, this allows Olivia to meet and fall for Dan. [Gossip Girl's always gotta have some sort of complicated romance no?] Although I'm not the biggest Gossip Girl fan, I do love their characters and styling. Thus, for my final collection I decided to act as a stylist for Gossip Girl and create three possible looks for this new character.

This outfit serves as a normal, everyday outfit for Olivia to wear around campus. Whether she's going to class, studying, or just picking up coffee this comfy functional fall outfit will help her to maintain her low-key yet fashionable status.

So although I have no idea of what's going to happen with Olivia Burke this season on GG, one can assume that at one point there is going to be a raunchy party [Or at the very least a party where Olivia's Diva persona comes out.] Thus, this is the outfit she would wear to go to a party or club.

As you probably noticed, I tried to keep the indigo color constant for Olivia's outfits. Not only as a means of cohesion, but also it always seems as if GG characters have their own particular trademarks. So perhaps Olivia's could be indigo :]

The first look is The Ringmaster. I think the shoes give it that dominatrix like feel with its bondage like straps. The red vest which is worn with the zipper open is sexy and bold. Ringmaster's usually wear top hats. I picked a really special one with a long train for a dramatic effect. The model who will be wearing this look down the runway is Natalia VodianovaThe music that will play is Circus by Britney Spears.

The daring trapeze artist is symbolic of a soaring imagination. And her clothes depict this. She wears bright, flashy, and fun items while she is showing off her acrobatic talents.Model: Cintia DickerMusic: Dangerous by Michael Jackson

This is my version of the Bearded Lady. Within each man is woman, and within each woman is the essence of man. So, I combined masculine (black & white tuxedo coloring, bow tie, boyfriend blazer, & shoes that are in the shape of traditional male dress shoes) with feminine (dress, pink, cute earrings, the shoes which have painted toe nails on them) items. I also threw in a /fuzzy/ accent.Model: Coco RochaMusic: Sideshow by Blue Magic

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Crap, crap, crap, crap!I should've done this a week ago, I know, and for that I apologize five times over, but the circumstances just couldn't be helped, and anyway it took much longer to decide on the results of this challenge as it is the last one before the finale and will decide on the top 3 competitors.-Deep breath-Intense, I know.

I was so extraordinarily impressed with you 4 lovely ladies this week, though, I must say. Best batch of last challenge entries ever. And plus, that gets me very excited to see what you will pop out for the Unofficial Fashion Week.

Since it's been a while, I should probably recap:You'll be making sets for each other.

xDThat was about the gist of it. The competitors udnerstood the nitty gritty, so we'll get more into that with critiques...

Speaking of which:

CRITIQUE

Incubeautee-Each judge had their own little nit picks regarding your set-the shoes were too formal for frolicking, the green looked like a hospital gown, the bag wasn't quite right-but everyone said something different about the not-so-strong points. What we pretty much all agree on though is that you met the requirements well [although one judge feels there was too much you, and not enough Lola.] and your layouts still rock [however, this is probably not the best you've done...still good though. Very good.]. Over all the set has a nice, tranquil sort of mood, and makes me want whatever that cocktail is. =] You've also come a long way in terms of clutter, and I think, for some one who started out such a strong set maker, you've still managed to improve. Which, in the begining, was the goal of this compition. Goodgood stuff, my dear.

BBGal-The judges were surprise-and in a good way! And so I officially award you with the title of most improved, evident in this set as well as your 3 before it. We all like the colors and how you interpreted your instructions, hitting the retro, Incubeautee-esque vibe quite well. We also all agree though that, while this may be one of your best sets, it felt a little top heavy in terms of presentation. Some of the little items, as there were more than plenty in the top right, could've been brought over the opposite corner, we believe. We also believe that the top-heaviness could've been rememdied simply by choosing a lighter colored bag-it was much too dark and heavy for the sweet nature of the rest of the set. But still, you've come a long way.

Lola So, you've consistantly have popped out some crazy cool sets in this crazy cool competition, and this one here is no exception. I'm really excited Tripmywire had you do a mosaic, because it was really great seeing what else you can do-and you did it so well! Although one judge called it "TMW & Lola’s love child" and another could too see the resemblence, the other half of judges weren't quite as smitten. We've constantly mentioned that mosaics must be balanced carefully, and although I personally think you've nailed it, I can see how this set could be rather overwhelming. One judge mentioned that she preferred the other set you made for this challenge, and that she really didn't see the 'edgy romantic' that was requested, and also wasn't sure, in practicality, how well that sweater would wear with the skirt [and on that last bit I must agree, however cool the sweater is.]. None the less, every one still felt this was another good entry.

TMW-I appriciate very much that you did not take up that offer of doing another signiture mosaic layout, and I do think the turned out much better than your last attempted during the prom challenge. However, as much as we all give many kudos to doing something out of your comfort zone, some of the judges don't think this was the best way to go-most all of us really like the idea and choices for the elemental pictures, but the left the right side feeling overwhelming over the left. However, I think this is more the fault of the bag,which was a required item [Said a judge, "I do feel for her she had to work that bag, but I think she did an okay job"] But what we all could agree on was that those leggings were throwing us off-not so much leggings with shorts and those shoes, which I think the idea could be kind of cool, but the fact that they are black and shiney-and although very /you/-just sort of upset the harmony of the rest of the set.

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............But tonight there will be no winner.

For two resons:One, you were all so neck in neck.And two, I think it's better that before the finale, everyone should be on the same level, so to speak.Those who have payed attention to the previous two cycles saw this one coming. ;]

But anywho, back to those 3 of you.,..

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.....Lola.We'll see you in the finale.Congradulations!

But, who shall be joining you?..........

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..Come on, you saw this coming.....You are also part of the final 3.Congrats to you as well!

...........Tripmywire,BBGal.It's down to you two.

One, who has won three challenges, but has also done her share of hanging in the bottom.And one, who may have not have gotten to the top in the challenges, but who has improved imensely over her competitors as the competition wore on.[Sorry, I was channeling a bit of Top Model there, dears.]And so, who goes?

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Neither of you.Forget the top 3, I do believe we have a room for a top 4.Congradulations to the both of you!

I know, I know. I kept looking threw both of your sets, got the opinions of some of the judges, but it seemed to matter how I reasoned it, it always ended up in a tie.You two really are head to head.But I want to give you both another chance to shine-or to shine even brighter.

And so, I better see all four of you pound out the most wicked sets you have ever made in these coming weeks. Promise?Alright.There can only be one winner overall, so strive for absolutely greatness. Or whatever cheesy thing you can think of.I know you can do it.

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL. As always. Especially my judges and contestants who constantly put up with my flakiness and indecisiveness. You all still rock.And good night!

Style: I want a sweet country kinda feel to it, but not too over the top. Basically, an outfit that makes you want to go frolic in a field. Like imagine you lived in North Carolina and tomorrow was the last day of summer before school started again. So you decided to spend your whole day running around in a field.

was assigned to make a set for the fabulous Incubeautee... and this is the info sheet that she sent me.

Layout: a little something i made up that i like to call double feature picture show. which is basically like a model in corner set except you put any two pictures (doesnt have to be a model but can be if you want) on opposite corners. examples: http://www.polyvore.com/home_sweet/set?id=7132309 & http://www.polyvore.com/poison_cupcake/set?id=7015197Color Palette: Blue, tan, and creamy light pinkSpecific sort of style: the classic feminine meets masculine, but with a hint of retro for a twist.Any specific items: something from Chloe

The outfit is mostly feminine, but I tried to incorporate the masculine side of things with the blazer. As far as throwing in a touch of retro, the hobo bag and earrings are supposed to be a throwback to 70's bohemian. Oh, and I loved the layout. It's great. :)

Layout: Hmm, well personally I'm not a huge fan of mosaics. But I know that's your style. So you can do a mosaic if you want, but if you want to try something different that's cool too. I don't care much about the layout Color Pallette: earthy colors... green/brown/blue etc Specific sort of stlye: Hippie/bohemian [:Any specific items: http://www.polyvore.com/sustilo_fringe_ ... id=9220505 This one!

Explanations:Layout: I like mosaics. But BB isn't a fan, so I tried something new. I think I kind of like it. Perhaps it shall stay...Colours: I feel like these colours are earthy. After finishing the outfit, I realized that it's kind of void of colours...So I tried to switch things out for colour, and I always went back to the neutrals. I just like it better this way. Style: My version of bohemian. Item: This bag killed me. The texture of it was hard to work with.

Also, the pictures on the right are representative of earth, wind, fire, and water.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

SO. I am impressed. The final five! People, this insane! We are...soooo close. And yet...so not there. Not quite yet.But before we can determine the final 3, we must determine the final 4, and the only way to do that is to eliminate one more.

Challenge 9! The Epic Wedding challenge...Recap: That's right kids, its time to style a woman for the happiest day of her life [or so she thinks. You don't have to agree.], from the dress to the corsage to the tablewear. Similar to the prom challenge, but on a much grander scale, you will each be assigned a client who has some pretty specific wants for their big day. With the information given, create a set [or 2] for her wedding. You must make sure the dress is covered, the shoes, the accesories, the flowers. Optional things to include are dinner plates and silverwear, bridesmade dress, 3-song soundtrack, other decorations, and the groom.

So, uh. Let's get down to critiquing these epic sets then, shall we?

CRITIQUE

BBGal-Not bad, not bad at all. I really like that you got out of your comfort zone, layout wise here. We think that you really tried to pay attention to the directions of your client, however, maybe got traditional a little mixed up with old fashioned...the dress, well on par with the lace factor, we don't feel quite goes with the other accesories, or the other bridesmade dress. And 2 judges both felt that for a traditional wedding, a viel should've been a must have instead of the headband. The layout, although improving, still felt a little off, and we feel this is mostly due to the picture of a girl in a dress for the bridesmaids, up in the left corner. The tan background of it makes the soft, white, lacey feal of the rest of the set unbalanced.

Lola-Next time you don't know what something is, ask! Or at least do some researh. Really, clarification is something I'm happy to attempt to give...however, as not-quite-victorian as it is, I do like the direction you look it, a little more cutsey girly wedding, but you have the right idea with the cameos and the high-neck dress [and I love that butterfly hair-thingymajigger!]. Lots of these little details got lost in all the pictures though [particuarly all the ones of flowers.], and we're still straining to see exactly what's going on.

Incubeautee-I really enjoyed your vision for this theme, the tatooed rings, the band playing. Like Lola though, a lot of your details get lost in the pictures; however, yours appears to be much more balanced, and this might be due to the use of a real dress and other accesories [however kinda squashed.]. Making the dress just a tad larger might've helped. And one judge mentioned, "I also can't really picture those wedges at a wedding. but it fits the description well."

Tripmywire-So I must say, great comeback from the last two weeks. You always do better when you think you're going to blow it, don't you? Well, anyway, for being anti-wedding you sure pulled off the beachy look nicely. The two sets meld together very well, though each one can stand alone. One judge did mention though, " I wouldn’t necessarily say that all the accessories of the bride fit, but she’s a hippie and who cares. I really would love to be a bridesmaid of this wedding…but I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing that the bridesmaids look better than the bride?!"

Ellie-Somehow, I think you were in a rush when you did this. When I fist show the pictures of the peacock wedding placings, I was very excieted at out perfect they fit your bride, even if magenta was not one of your colors.But, in the final presentation, it all fell flat...with a crazy, rich fashionista, you could've done something bold and grand...2 sets weren't necissary, and they didn't exactly compliment each other. Great shoes, but I can exactly see what's going on with the dress. Putting it all into one set probably would've helped you a great deal.

Man. It's so nice to get these done so quickly.

Anyway, back to business. Good news first.Lessee.Incubeautee and Tripmywire! Guess what? You are the top two.

But only one of you can win.Again...And so, who will it be?................................................

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........Congratulations!!!You are the winner of the epic wedding challenge!Good show my dear! You feel that warm swelling pride? Because that is your prize. It's must too close to the end for immunity.Thanks very much Incubeautee as well. Can't wait to see what else you come up for us.

Oh, and hey, BBGal. You're in two. Which means you're part of the final 4.Awesome, right?

However, what is not so...awesome, is what we must do now.Lola, Ellie.One of you is out...................

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......IN.Which means, Ellie, you are out.We are so sad to see you go my dear. But I am so proud that you stuck with us this far and came all this way. It's a fricking long journey, isn't it? We hope you had a good time, and will stick around with us behind the scenes.

Thank you everyone!Now, before I let you go. http://www.polyvore.com/city_vacant_lights/group.show?id=69886http://www.polyvore.com/city_vacant_lights/group.show?id=69886http://www.polyvore.com/city_vacant_lights/group.show?id=69886http://www.polyvore.com/city_vacant_lights/group.show?id=69886http://www.polyvore.com/city_vacant_lights/group.show?id=69886http://www.polyvore.com/city_vacant_lights/group.show?id=69886Could you please click the above link and join this group if you have not already. Some of your favorite people have put it together for one and all. =]

Monday, August 3, 2009

gave my bride a name... Marie. I thought it fit her. :) Marie wanted a traditional wedding. She loved lace and butterflies, and her colors were ivory, white, and light blue. So I gave Marie an ivory lace wedding dress, with matching pumps. She also wore an ivory flower headband, a pearl necklace, and a butterfly ring. Of course, we can't forget the wedding rings, which were simple yet elegant. The tablecloths for the reception were lace, with light blue plates and the silverware I added as well. Flowers were light blue hydrangeas, and the bridesmaids wore light blue dresses. There were little butterflies scattered around the tables and such, because they looked pretty. I also included the song Sweet Release by New Grass Revival, because I've always thought it would be a perfect wedding song. :)

Zees is supposed to be a "Victorian Romanticism" themed wedding, however I haven't the faintest clue as to what that is. I included cameos and a dress with a victorian neck and poofy skirt. [There's also a cameo bracelet that was very hard to work with hidden near the shoes.] I did not include a purse, because honestly.. who walks down the aisle with a YSL tote dangling off their shoulder? No one. Doesn't JRM seem like the perfect groom to this bride?This took 2 hours and it's complete crap.. Woopdie frickin doo.

So, here is my bride's description.Your bride is ecectric and and unconventional. She does NOT want a traditional white dress, and perfably something short and sweet. She enjoys live music, tatoos, and roses, and wants to be sure to include her costume jewlery. Her color pallette is purple, silver, and gold.--The bride and groom got wedding tattoos on their ring fingers. There was a live band that played the soundtrack to their love affair, which included:All My Life - JodeciUnderneath It All - No DoubtSwing Life Away - Rise AgainstAmber - 311And the gets went home with temporary (or real ones for the hardcore guests) tattoos of words like "Carpe Diem" & "Amour".

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I SWEAR PEOPLE, I am never using blogger for an online contest ever ever again!It just decides when it feels like loading for you. Blah!

So. Anyway. Welcome back everyone for the 3rd to last time until the very exciting final collections. It seemed you girlies had all kinds of fun this week, and for that I'm glad.

But the fun stops here.

Let's recap why challenge 8 was such a hoot:

Not to be confused with a few queens you guys worked with last challenge, this week you will be assigned an all new breed of client-Drag Queens! That's right, men dressing up as crazily extravagent women. There is not possible way you can play this challenge safe and come out okay-there must be decedence! Wearability is not so much a concern here. The goal is to capture the persona of your 'client' and go crazy.You will be using woman's clothing for this challenge. Size, proportioning, all that is unnecissary, as long as that certain dragalicious vibe is still there...Don't forget to include makeup and a wig!

Honestly, everyone did much better than I feared. I don't know how you 6 possibly came up with sets for drag queens, but you did, and it was magnificent.On the bright side, everyone made it this week. On the not-so-peachy side, one of you will be eliminated this morning.

Lets get on with critique!

CRITIQUE

The Bradlo-So, you have a wig, and a dress, and a white boot and they all are so perfect for a go-go-dancer drag queen named Marsha Mellow. But in the execution we feel you fell short. Yes, make-up is important in this challenge, but the way you presented it to us was a bit overwhelming and that visually appealing. It's not that it's a terrible set by any means, its just that we talked about space and balance for weeks now and we feel this late in the game it could be better. As one judge said, "It looks like you're hiding something from us. I wanna see! I wanna see!"

Lola-Out of all the contestants, we feel you did the best job getting that insane drag queen look down. The outfit is so crazy and wild and perfect! Your character you had is being played out really well, and it seems like you had a lot of fun doing it. Your layout is a little lopsided, at least compared to some of your other sets, which I think mostly had something to do with the heart clutch being in the right cornor and that being the only red thing. It works in the overall outfit, though. Keep it up!

Incubeautee-You always have such an excellent eye for detail, from the pies to the manequin husbands, its brilliant! Although your outfit, maybe besides the glittery shoes and the pagent/southern church in the 1950s costume feel, isn't the most...insane and drag-a-licious, this was made up for by your near perfect layout and hilarious creativity. With the right mix and placement of colors, you have done a great job of making what should've been a cluttered set incredibly visually appealing, at least I think so.

Ellie-We all the love Marie Antionette route-there's a lot of Over-the-top to work with there. The items you chose were great, though maybe a little soft dor Drag, worked for the theme [one judge does think lingerie would've been a great additon, and I agree.] What all the judges agree on is this is not your best layout. You have done mosaic beautifully in the past, but for whatever reason this one feels disjointed, a bit unbalanced. We think that it's the size and amount of items-there's nothing to achor the set in any direction, and our eyes get a bit overwhelmed jumping from place to place.

BBGal Well, I'm really proud of you because I think you are really listening to critiques regarding layout, and i like this wider one much better. Any other challenge this outfit would've belonged on a stripperl, but here you did a good job making a drag disco queen [I'm especially digging the shoes.]. Although one judge feels its a little sterotypical and expected, and another judge still wasn't so sure about the tiny nature of the left side of the set, I do feel you are imrpoving. Keep experimenting!

Tripmywire-Through the compition you have always been a strong competitor, but we feel your set this week falls short of your potential. As a judge said, "I think I see where she’s coming from, and maybe didn’t want to do the expected…but this is too safe." We feel that although a drag queen could wear this, so could a celebrity vixen. ""All in all, a good looking set, but it lacks the queer factor." The shoes are fun and the dress sparkles and the wig goes very well with your client, but we feel this is rushed and that goes for the layout too,which is a tad lopsided and unfinished.

Although I announced last week that immunity will no longer be rewarded, there will still be a winner tonight who can take home the happy warm feeling of do just that much better than the others.

LolaIncubeauteeand BBGal.

One of you three will be taking home the cake.

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......................BBGal......You have not one, but keep it up, my dear. We're so close now!.........Lola, Incubeautee...........

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.....And the winner isss...

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..INCUBEAUTEE!Congrats on your second win, my dear. We loved your set.And Lola, not so shabby your selve. Can't wait to see what you do for us next week. ..

And so, with out much more blahblahblah

TripmywireEllieand Bradlo.

one of you will be eliminated from Project Polyvore.....................

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.............You are safe for another round. Try to find the right balance. ......................Bradlo.Tripmywire...............

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......The Bradlo.......

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....We are so sorry, but you have been eliminated from the compition.Be proud of how far you made it though! From 20 to the top 6. We'll miss you here and hope you stick around. If you'd like to help out with judges, feel free to contact me.Tripmywire, you have another chance to wow us. We hope to see more of you next week.

Thank you both.

And thank you all! I can't believe how close to the end we are. It's really...mind boggling.But, until then, I'll see you all shortly

Best way to describe this set: "You look like the Miami Sound Machine just exploded all over you."Best way to describe Felicia Fellatio: "I'm a princess. "P" to the "R" to the "N" to the "cess". I'm a princess"Best way to describe the drag queen scene: When a straight man puts on a dress and goes on a sexual kick he is a transvestite. When a man is a woman trapped in a man's body and has a little operation he is a Transsexual. When a gay man has way too much fashion sense for one gender he is a drag queen. And when a tired little Latin boy puts on a dress, he is simply a boy in a dress! Best lines in To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar: --So as soon as we get to the next town I am jumping on the first man and riding him all the way to New York City and away from you two puckered up, stuck up putas 'cause this trip sucks! It sucks! --Noxeema Jackson: That might be all fine and dandy but still have a lot more to learn before you become a full fledged Queen, my dear.Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez: Can't I just stay a princess they're so much younger than Queens

The challenge was to make an outfit for a DRAG QUEEN. My Queenie - Sharon Husbands, The Southern Sweetheart--I think the set is self explanatory. I wanted to capture that sweet southern belle mixed with a hint of classic Stepford Wife. I incorporated a few sweets (cupcake purse, candy skull ring - skull because she does have a bad side) into the set to play up the "sweetheart" theme. And whats the south without a Georgia peach (blush) and a little peach cobbler. And of course I had to add her husbands in there because whats Sharon Husbands without a few good (or should i say PERFECT because they are mannequins) men? Why mannequins? You may not want to know why lolz. 2 words Sex(y) Dolls.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Last time we talked I asked the 8 remaining contestants to restyle a historical figure for the modern world.6 of you did. Manda droped the compition, and Mandy was disqualified. And I must say, for the first time, you all truely have done better than I expected.

Because there are only 6 of you left, we're going to do things different.We're going to cut the dramatics and go straight to the critique. You will all be lumped together, from here on out, no more Top or Bottom.

CRITIQUE

The Bradlo- You had Marie Ationette, which could've been really easy [lots of inspiration, already established as a fashionable lady of her time] or really difficult [many people have already done Marie Antionette inspired sets...], and I'm not exactly sure how this went for you. While the pieces you chose definately gave of the right vibe, and was modern eough, there was nothing particuarly exciting about it-it does't quite capture the extravagence that the age was known for. To keep Marie interesting, you should've thrown in something more unexpected in with the sort of flouncy girly pieces. A jacket of somesort would've workwell for this set-maybe a print one to add more interest to the over all presentation. Layouts doing alright-the items come off a little clunky when they're that large, but good job finding a different color border-a black one would've probably brought your score down.

Incubeautee-I'm really excited about this set because when I put May West on the list, I didn't know much about her either, and I think that may be part of the reason why I like this so much. The other reason is I think this is one of your better, if not best layouts, though not all the judges get it. With models you have to be careful...they either work of they dont, and although I think the dress was a great modern update and worked nicely with a fur stole, a couple judges weren't feeling it. What most of us agreed on though was that there was something about the size and placement and number of acessories on one side that gave it a sort of lopside appearance, and I do see where they are coming from on this.

Tripmywire-This is a really sort of expected fashionable aviator look, and the problem is we allways expect the more unexpected from you. Every single piece does make sense, though, and I think you really do pay attention to what you're putting in there-really enjoyed the pants, the cuff, and we all agreed the glasses and bag were great [the bag is like a parachute! Perfect!]. But there's just something about this that lacks your usual spark...and this goes for layout too. I think this has something to do with a'center point' and yours...doesn't really have one. Making some items smaller and larger would've probably helped this a lot.

Ellie- I can't believe I forgot to tell you wich Queen Elizabeth to do-I had originally meant the first, but chose number two because I thought it was a very nice layout and more judges would get it. Your outfit is a great, youthful update, yet still in vein with the sort of retro-posh styles she enjoys [at least, so I got the impression from reading those links you provided. Very nice touch.], though one judge did say "In terms of practicality, since you are the only one whose muse is still alive, I don't think Her Majesty would be walking around in a pencil skirt -- or maybe not that particular one -- in 2009." It might not be the most intriguing outfit, but we all agree that it was very cute.

Lola -This is your best set in a long while, I must say! At least, most of the judges think so...Though, truth be told, I had to stare at it all for a while before I really got how you interpreted Joan of Arc in this, but, it clicked after a bit. And it is a very cool interpretation of Joan while still being very, oblivously you. Juges either didn't get it or were totally in love with it. AS one said: It "sends out the right message, though bordering on being Madonna-esque." Perhaps this is in the gloves, belt, and all the religous jewlery? Hmm...maybe Madonna was Joan of Arc in her past life [makes sense doesn't it?']. What makes this your best set in a while though is that for once all the crazy colors actually manage to flow well in the overall presentation, and not as scrunched up as some previously were getting. Keep it, up.

BBGal-Like Lola, this is also, I think, your best set in a long while. I was really interested to see how you would capture Queen Victoria, and I think you a nice job with this sort of victorian era elegence, yet kept modern by the cut of the dress and amazing shoes. As one judge says "She really surprised me in a positive way. It represents the era, but at the same time it’s a modern outfit. I see it being worn by someone with eclectic taste but a great sense of fashion." Its good to see soft colors from you! Like Incubeautee, you used quite a bit of jewlery and made it quite tiny, and although its getting much better, it still can be a little...confusing to look at. Mostly just because I don't see how everything should be worn. It probably wouldn't work in real life, but here, it's kinda lovely.

PS: I hope my critiques are coherant enough and aren't too conflicting...I try to represent the majority of judge opinion as best I can, but its hard when one liked and another didn't. So take what you will from them. And use it to your best advatange in the coming rounds. We are down to the nitty gritty people!And speaking of nitty gritty...

Only one of you lovely ladies can be the winner tonight.Will IncubeauteeLolaand Ellieer, come forward.Mentally. =D

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.................Incubeautee.......I was a close shave but you have not won.............

...Ellie, Lola..............

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...ETCHASKETCHINLOLA!You are the winner, you crazy child!Good show this week! Keep popping out entries like this and you might just make it to that top.Because guess what! No more immunity from here on out. Lola, you are in as much danger as the others next week, so don't go slacking now. Please take with you the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from winning challenges. =DAnd that you too Ellie. Same goes for you, keeping-it-up-wise.

Now. Who does that leave us with.Ah, yes.

TripmywireBBGalAnd the Brad

You had lower scores than the other three...

And this would be about the time when I get my dramatic voice on and proclaim that one of you will be out, and then proceed with the suspenseful dots of doom, but as you can probably tell, I'm in a rather humerous mood this fine early evening, and we will not be bothering with that this round.Yup. All 3 of you are still in for Challenge 8.I'm sure you probably figured that out when both Manda and Mandy were missing this week[s]. Had there only been one drop, we would've carried on as usual, but 2 people and I just don't have the heart to kick out another.

So congradulations all of you!I promise next challenge won't be as easy. Wait till you scroll down a bit and see what's in store!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

"Before Marilyn and before Madonna, there was Mae West, Hollywood's first superstar sex symbol and the original blonde bombshell."(answers.com)

After reading a bunch of her quotes, I am a newly proclaimed Mae West fan.

I wanted the outfit to exude sexiness & glamor with a touch of vintage flair. I used a body con dress (which is a very popular style now a days) in smokin' hot lipstick red lace. I accessorized with fur, satin, gold, pearls, and gems to give it that movie star glamor. I also included a veil top hat which is a cute, modified modern day version of those extravagant hats that Mae would wear.

I also included some music from Fiona Apple and Christina Aguilera. Fiona because she has that classic bluesy tone & style of voice like Mae West. And Christina because she often dresses up in that old movie star glamor style. Both songs are about men/romance/love which was the same topic that Mae West's comedic material was made up of.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Mrph. I've so been out of it lately, at least with the interwebs; not to mention connections of all sorts have been screwy the past couple days, people are off on vacation, and most my judges never reply. SO for all the reasons I apologise for procrastinating and continuously taking forever to get to these result posts. Really though, this is still the Fastest Cycle ever. I reckon we could be done by the end of summer. Previously it took 5 months!

Well...anyway.

Recap of Challenge Six: Challenge 6-This is a pretty straight forward challenge that you're probably all familiar with-the Polyvore Scavenger Hunt! That's right, with the help of Lovelierlala, I've compiled a list of 16 items- NO MORE NO LESS. Every item must be used in the set, and you can not include anything off the list. The goal is to get you guys to experiment with layout styles more, how to incooporate and balance items together. Do something you've never done before! Please!

So here are the items: [First 5 were Lala's, all the rest are mine...]

1. something your mother would have worn when she was your age. 2. an item from your first set (the first that is still published so we can check). 3. a pair of shoes you normally wouldn't wear. 4. a top from your favorite store or brand. 5. something you can't truly live without. 6. A song by your friend's favorite band. 7. something from my own poly-closet 8. a gossip-girl-esque headband. 9. A jacket fit for a rock star 10. a piece of jewelry that reminds you of a movie or tv show. 11. your favorite quote. 12. Something purple 13. a bottom from your least favorite brand or store 14. A picture from foto_decadent. [ http://community.livejournal.com/foto_decadent/ ] 15. a food or food type you have never tried. 16. something that inspires you.

Now that we're getting down to the finals, entries are getting closer and closer-and finally in the good way! It's harder for us to judge and eliminate you know...

You all did well...some of you combined items-like your number 12 was also your number 9, or whatever...I never said that you couldn't, but I did say no more or less than the 16 items.PS: Creativity was HARD to judge for this...we're mostly going to concentrate on how well you combined and presented everything...

Other than that...let's get to critiques...

IncubeauteeLola Mandy

You three are in the safety zone.

INHighest to Lowest[I'll be posting judges comments like done a couple challenges ago...One of the judges only contributed comments this week, so I couldn't include her scores with the tallies, since she had none...but I thought it be fair to include the comments. =] ]

Mandy-"This is such a calming set…it eases me, lovely to watch at for a long period of time  I think the nude top does the trick...and then combined with those lovely sneakers (love the pattern as well), the pastel colored headband, the contacts holder, the “not really” purple bag (I forgive you), the elephant, and the raspberries. It’s all so lovely and perfect for this season. However, I don’t know if the outfit combines will really work, but the layout is just pretty""A word of advice: Avoid the mannequins. You can't do anything with them. I'm confused. Nothing goes together and it looks funny. :\ Use of whitespace: A-, Balance: C+. It looks a little odd."I disagree with the second judge's comments. A lot. Though the outfit-mostly the shoes with that top-may be something strange and not quite 'fashionable', you were one of the tops in color balance. This, for me, is the key to a good scavenger hunt set. And anyway, I dig the mannequin look. It's your thing.

Lola-"She was also running for top three. The outfit is super lovely, but some of the items, like the lollipops don’t really match the matchymatchiness of the outfit and colorscheme""Clashy clashy clashy! The skirt is way too busy for this set. I think I get the idea? [On creativity] Nothing special. Nothing bad."The initial outfit works very well-that is, the jacket, the shirt, the skirt, the show, the bag. It's all those rainbow colored middle items that are throwing us off. And like many others tonight, they're all hidden up in the middle...

Incubeatee-"Love it, great layout…and hooray no leather jacket. Sorry girls, but she was a bit more original with the blazer. I also like the quirkiness of the outfit, I think it’s eclectic but the headband pulls the blue together and the shoes and bag will work as real fashion pieces. Great use of the overall space, I love love love perfect squares"" I like the dress and the jacket combo! The shoe... not so much. All together it's kind of strange, but not bad. Too much! Too much! Overload![On layout]"I definately see some great things coming out of you, like coming up with another solution to rock star jacket than leather, as the first judge mentioned, but with so many items it does tend to get lost...

Thanks, dears. See you on the otherside.

But the question is, who will be there with you?Who won't...

The BradloTripmywireSarahMandaEllie andBBGal

Have the highest and lowest scores this weekand one of youwill be eliminated from the compition...

But in the meantime...

TripmywireMandaand Ellie.

represent the highest this week.

TOP

Tripmywire-"I just think this was an adorable outfit, I’m a bit distrected by all the white, but I often have lots of white in my own sets so don’t listen to me I think the outfit will work for sure in real life. Well thought through…points for that!""You pull off indie-chic very well! Was not expecting this from you. Much better than last time."Yes, greatly improved from the slump into the bottom last week, my dear! Out of all of them, as an outfit you pulled it off the best in terms of wearablilty AND choesiveness. You managed to make American Eagle look appealing and I don't even feel compelled to give you my sushi speech =D

Manda-"It’s good enough for the next round, no winner no loser. Layout can be improved""I'm not as keen on the boot. It's eclectic and plaid and awesome. Everything is bunched together. Where are the bottoms?"For me, you were one of the better ones at combining all the required items into a cohesive set..but it is getting a little bunchy...this probably has something to do with the placement of the top quote...all the little items are lost underneath. But while they're hard to see and verging of mix-matchy, they somehow all flow together alright. I'm also not sure how all the outfit pieces-the jacket+the flannel+ the shirt- would work IRL.

Ellie-"She should be happy she isn’t in my bottom three, or that there were three sets I disliked more. It’s not a pretty set, it’s too chaotic for my taste. Too much going on in the left with the outfit on the right. Not balanced.""Heyyyyo! This is so much better than your usual... I just think it's awesome, that's all. You're still using too much stuff, though. If only a couple of the background images were removed, it would be so much better."But of course, you had to include everything...I'm more with the first judge, you're mosaics were just so nice, I was suprised you went in this direction! On the otherhand, you had really nice outfit underneath the madness, though I may be biased because of the Kurt top...maybe a lot. =] But still, I like that the jacket wasn't BLACK and nice shoes...

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.You have not won...but I think you're improving as the weeks go on. Can't wait to see what's next. =]......Ellie, Tripmywire...............One of you...is the challenge winner................

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......Tripmywire!Excellent come back, dear. Really great stuff!You have recieved immunity for next week and can submitt any sort of something and still be alright.And thanks Ellie, too. Not so shabby yourself...

Now.

The BradloBBGaland Sarah.

You guessed it.You three, unfortunately, represent the lowest three scores.

BOTTOM

The Bradlo-"I don’t wanna say it…but I miss the border  Hmm, she kept it for so long in this competition, even after we sometimes said we didn’t like it. And NOW she decides to get rid of it, a shame. I feel it’s more chaotic now. I think it fails predominantly in the lay-out. Also a shame I can’t see the top""I like this. But the skirt is from TopShop. You didn't follow all the rules. Not bad, not bad at all. [On creativity. What happened to your other layout. That one was much better."I think you're sort of lost without your border, but I'm glad you tried something else, if only to make us realize how much it was working for ya. Digging deeper, I think I see how you interpretted bottoms from a place you don't like, so I don't know if it's still against the rules, but honestly that's not the penelty here...the layout is just SO choatic, there's no real sense of balance and the large items-namely the drink-are just distracting and unflattering. Outfit's not bad, but it's not shown off in a very pleasing way...

BBGal- "pink and black together is no longer in fashion, I’m sorry. The layout doesn’t work as well. Really bad round for her, looks as if she didn’t put any effort or joy in it. I always find scavenger hunts joyful, this set doesn’t look like she had fun""It's bordering a bit on the scene side, but I would do the same thing. It's so... casual. But it works. Use all of your white space. That's what it's for."Alright...so the outfit...it's really not awful-I love that skirt, and the jacket, and the shoes, but all together and the way you have it in the layout it appears rather clunky. The blet is what's throwing it all out of whack, I think. Creavity wise, this is much better than last week. There's a way to use white space and still have a very effective layout...and I think you know how to do it...but all the little items crawling up the side here are just not balancing anything out quite properly with the heavy other items.

Sarah-"I’m missing some color, where’s the purple item. But on the other hand I like how she interpreted something purple and choose the book; you better watch this girl . I also like that there’s a story with the shirt, yet I don’t think it should have needed three pics of it. Now she didn’t leave enough room to show the undies (how tiny, seriously), just the overall outfit gets squashed in the right because of the shirt. Not good"" From what I can see... it's still on the boring side, though. Wow, your mother must be a strong person. I wish this set would match. This is a hot mess. Why so messy?"Lots of items don't seem to be your thing...and that's cool, but here it's important to go out of that comfort zone and make it work. Personally, I enjoy this set alone. But I also think that week to week we're expecting so much more out of you that's it's becoming all the same note...I swear I've seen this white tank+shorts+jacket combo before, and before I said it was a cool outfit, it's just rather...uninspired. Well, with the exception of something your mother wore. It was nice to see something powerful, besides 80's tack. Other things were also interpretted well...just very messy in the end.

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..But Sarah, BBGal...one of you is not.................................And it was a bitch juding this...but...it has to be done...............

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..........Sarah.You have been eliminated from project polyvore.We hate to see you go, love. You really came a long way.And if you'd like to stick around in the competition, I could really REALLY use some more judges...